Zach Cregger’s ‘Resident Evil’ Just Became His Most-Loved Movie With Audiences, Not Just Critics

Horror filmmakers rarely get handed the keys to an established franchise, and when they do, fan skepticism tends to follow them every step of the way. Zach Cregger walked into that exact situation with a beloved video game series that has burned through directors, timelines, and continuities for over two decades.

Coming off back-to-back critical triumphs with ‘Barbarian’ and ‘Weapons,’ Cregger faced a different kind of test this time: proving he could deliver for a built-in fanbase notoriously protective of its source material, rather than an audience discovering his work fresh. Early numbers suggest that test has gone about as well as it possibly could.

‘Resident Evil‘ has debuted with a 91% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes’ Popcornmeter, making it the highest-rated film of Cregger’s career among moviegoers. That figure comfortably surpasses ‘Weapons,’ which sits at 85%, and ‘Barbarian,’ which holds a 70% audience score, positioning the reboot as a clear high point in his growing horror filmography.

The audience reaction lines up closely with what critics have already been saying. ‘Resident Evil’ currently holds a critics’ score in the mid-to-high 90s on Rotten Tomatoes, making it not just Cregger’s best-reviewed film to date, but the highest-rated video game movie the site has ever tracked, surpassing the previous record holder, ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3,’ which topped out at 86%.

Zach Cregger’s RESIDENT EVIL has just debuted with a 91% audiences score on Rotten Tomatoes. It’s Cregger’s highest-rated film by audiences EVER: 1️⃣RESIDENT EVIL — 91% 2️⃣WEAPONS — 85% 3️⃣BARBARIAN — 70% https://t.co/9bQDDmnHKq

— Global Box Office (@GlobalBoxOffice) September 17, 2026

That achievement carries extra weight given the franchise’s rocky history with critics. The original 2002 ‘Resident Evil’ scored just 36% on Rotten Tomatoes, while 2021’s ‘Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City’ managed only 30%. Even the best-reviewed entry from the long-running Paul W.S. Anderson and Milla Jovovich era, ‘Resident Evil: The Final Chapter,’ peaked at 39%, meaning Cregger’s version has essentially lapped every previous live-action attempt at the material.

Critics reviewing the film have pointed to its fast pace, sharp humor, and gory practical effects as standout elements, along with its willingness to tell an original story rather than lean on established characters like Leon Kennedy or Claire Redfield. That choice reportedly generated plenty of pre-release skepticism from longtime fans, making the strong audience reception all the more notable now that the film has actually reached theaters.

𝙰 𝚗𝚎𝚠 𝚎𝚛𝚊 𝚘𝚏 𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚕.

From the mind of Zach Cregger, director of Weapons and Barbarian. Watch the new teaser trailer for Resident Evil. Filmed for IMAX – in theatres 9.18. pic.twitter.com/RZrFd83Ije

— Resident Evil (@ResidentEvil) April 30, 2026

Cregger had reportedly been vocal about that skepticism leading up to release, framing the film as a chance to prove his credentials as a genuine fan of the franchise rather than someone simply borrowing its name. Based on how both critics and audiences have responded, that gamble appears to have paid off.

The film, which stars Austin Abrams as medical courier Bryan navigating a single catastrophic night, opened in theaters on September 18. With this result, Cregger now has four consecutive releases scoring 90% or higher with critics, joining ‘Barbarian’ at 92%, ‘Weapons’ at 93%, and ‘Companion’ at 93%.

Landing both the highest critical score in franchise history and his own best audience reception yet gives Cregger a rare kind of validation, one that spans both professional critics and the built-in fanbase most skeptical of outside filmmakers touching their favorite property. Combined with the film’s strong early box office tracking, ‘Resident Evil’ looks positioned to be remembered as a genuine turning point for how the franchise is perceived critically.

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